Portfolio at NYU

Posted 05.27.03
Argentine Nuts

By Carola Mandelbaum

October, 2002

Diego meticulously poured in the hot caramel, covering cashews in one pot, peanuts in another and almonds in the third. It was the first cold and rainy day of fall and Diego was bundled up in a big black jacket and a long grey scarf. While adding sugar to the mix, he mumbled, "this is fundamental to avoid getting the nuts burned; you have to add sugar while you keep stirring slowly with very low fire." The smell coming from the roasting pots made pedestrians stop short and get closer to the cart, wondering what exactly produces such as mouthwatering aroma. Diego was well aware that the attraction was irresistible. He kindly offered a sample to whoever approached.

Diego Martin is a 23 year-old argentine that works for Nuts-for-Nuts, an argentine enterprise that has succeeded in placing carts in every other block in New York City. his Manhattan sensation was started in mid-1980's by Jorge Aguirre and has since passed hands onto other argentines. Today most of the employees of Nuts-for-Nuts are argentine emigres like Diego who find both a source of income and an argentine "family." Diego, who makes from $50 to $150 a day, and doesn't speak much English, said "in this job I have no problem. It's very basic language, either "peanuts", "almonds" or "cashews", that's all I need to know for now," he said "but what kills me is that 40% of the times is people asking me for directions and then I don't know what to say..."

Martin was forced to exile from Mendoza, his hometown, because of the rampage economic crisis that is affecting the country. He used to work in a Coca-Cola bottling factory but was laid-off in one of the many personnel adjustments that the firm had to do. "It was hard for me to leave my family and come here, but a friend offered me his spot at the Nuts-for-Nuts, I couldn't reject his offer," he said "I miss my family terribly and I can't wait to go back, but right now I have nothing except my affections to go back to. Each month I send them all my savings because my family is having a rough time paying the bills."

Nuts-for-Nuts has an intensive training program. They pair a "rookie" with an "expert" for a two weeks until he can handle a cart by himself. Diego describes lightheartedly that there's one employee at University Place and 14 St. that always burns the nuts, "there are always black and burnt, it's amazing he never gets them right, and yet he sells all the merchandise, or so he says. The firm doesn't care as long as he sells."

He suddenly becomes somber and angry when he refers to the competition, a Chilean company also named Nuts-for-Nuts, which has green carts instead of the argentine orange ones. "They are bad people; they have a personality problems and an inferiority complex. We don't get along at all; we don't even talk to each other even though the carts warehouses are across the street from each other." And adds, "the problem isn't so much between the management but with the people who work in the carts, there's fights every week."

Seeking shelter from the rain under the Nuts-For-Nuts parasol, Diego said he is doing well climbing the firm's "ladder". At the beginning, 6 moths ago, he was sent to a Flatbush corner in Brooklyn, where "every time I went into a deli to get some food, someone would steal some merchandise, or once, someone stole my cart," he said "so I couldn't move, it was eight hours non stop without moving an inch from the cart. Now I'm here in Union Square and the people are friendly and I can relax a bit." He explains that the ideal corners, those reserved for older and exceptional employees are in Times Square, and along Fifth Avenue in Midtown. "I can't complain though," he adds "now the best season is starting, from fall to Christmas, when people are most likely to buy nuts. In summer we compete with all kinds of smells, but in winter, the smell of roasted nuts never fails to attract customers."